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President Mahinda Rajapaksa, accompanied by his Ministers, walked down the isle of the parliamentary chamber on Tuesday and occupied the front row seat assigned to him. By this time, Eran Wickramaratne, the National List MP of the United National Party (UNP) was on his feet , making his remarks during the debate on the regulations under the Motor Traffic Ordinance.

Mr. Ramaphosa arrived in the country at a time when there is opposition to South Africa’s role even among the allies of the government. Jathika Hela Urumaya and National Freedom Front were opposed to such a role, saying  it would internationalize Sri Lanka’s issue paving way for unnecessary meddling

Mr. Wickramaratne spoke after Transport Minister Kumara Welgama. Mr. Wickremesinghe criticized the government for what he called ‘the insufficient allocation of funds for the development of public transport system’.
His remarks even prompted the President to respond though, in a lighter vein’.
“The subject Minister was doing transport business,” he responded.

"I do not know what the President   meant. Anyway, it is unethical for the subject minister to do it"

Astonished by the President’s response, the UNP MP tried to add a new dimension to his criticism on the transport policy of the government.
“I do not know what the President   meant. Anyway, it is unethical for the subject minister to do it,” he said.
The cross-talk ensued as the President, smilingly, corrected himself, “I just said the Minister is from a family traditionally involved in the transport business,”
The UNP MP responded, “Then, the Minister’s business sense may help develop the transport industry.”
Amid such lighthearted remarks with the President, the UNP MP continued with criticism and, at one point even said, “There are eight ministers dealing with the transport subject in various capacities.

But, there are no passenger transport buses after 8.00 pm. Even if there is a passenger bus, it is overcrowded.
People can only travel on  footboards.  It is a pity for women then. They are the ones who get harassed in crowded buses.”
With such talks, he concluded his speech, and next, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had something to be added to the talks across the divide of the House.
“It is a request for the Transport Minister to stop the harassment of women in passenger buses,” he said. Ripples of laughter followed in the House.
Minister Welgama is noted in Parliament for making sexist remarks on women MPs. He has even made public pronouncements about his polygamy.
Constant rail derailments, uncomfortable passenger transport buses plying on roads in a haphazard manner   feature the country’s transport sector today.
Minister Welgama, however, said he had placed orders to import 2600 buses to be used for public transportation. Besides, the new railway lines had been modernized in the south while reconstructing lines in the north.

Ramaphosa to broker ties between Govt and TNA

The government had yet another engagement on Monday. South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, appointed by President Jacob Zuma as his country’s special envoy to Sri Lanka, arrived in the country on Monday afternoon for a preliminary round of talks on South Africa’s role in the reconciliation process here. He paid a courtesy call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa who hosted him for an informal dinner. A government delegation, led by External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, met with him on the same day.  The meeting was also attended by Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and others. Mr. Ramaphosa arrived in the country at a time when there is opposition to South Africa’s role even among the allies of the government. Jathika Hela Urumaya and National Freedom Front were opposed to such a role, saying  it would internationalize Sri Lanka’s issue paving way for unnecessary meddling. In this context, the government delegation, at its meeting, was to impress upon those concerned that this was not any form of mediation or facilitation. “It is only to share South Africa’s experience in reconciliation,” Prof. Peiris told  after the meeting. Mr. Ramaphosa also said, at the meeting, that it was not in their DNA to prescribe solutions to other countries. After that, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, who heads the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Reforms, briefed Mr. Ramaphosa about the progress, and stressed the importance of inclusivity in evolving reforms for constitutional changes. He asked Mr. Ramaphosa to prevail upon the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to attend the PSC session. The following day, the South African delegation rushed to the north where he had separate meetings with C.V. Wigneswaran, the Chief Minister of the TNA controlled Northern Provincial Council, and Northern Governor G.A. Chandrasiri. Also, he met a TNA delegation led  by its leader R. Sampanthan.  During the discussion, Mr. Ramaphosa asked about TNA’s stand. TNA clarified its position that the government should recommence its bipartisan talks with it for a common stand on the contours of political proposals to resolve the question. TNA has   announced its stand from time to time. Asked about the outcome of the meeting, Mr. Sampanthan said it was a continuation of his party’s dialogue with the African National Congress (ANC),  initiated a few months ago in South Africa. Welcoming the dialogue, he said the TNA wished to pursue its engagement with South Africa further in the reconciliation process. Soon after meetings in Jaffna on Tuesday, Mr. Ramaphosa and his team flew from the Palali Airport to the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport to be taken to Cape Town, South Africa where he was due to chair a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. At the Airport, he was received by Prof. Peiris. The duo had a meeting on the outcome of his interactions with Tamil leaders. "In this context, the government delegation, at its meeting, was to impress upon those concerned that this was not any form of mediation or facilitation. “It is only to share South Africa’s experience in reconciliation,” Prof. Peiris told Daily Mirror" South Africa is the third country to play a role in the resolution of the national question.  Initially, it was India that played a crucial role in 1980s.  In 1987, the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed, and accordingly, the then government incorporated the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that provided for the establishment of provincial councils. Later, Norway played a role, and even brokered a ceasefire agreement between the government of Sri Lanka and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2002. Norway appointed a special envoy to facilitate peace talks with the LTTE at that time. Now, South Africa has entered the scene, and the government claims it is not any form of meditation or facilitation, but an exercise to share experience. After the end of apartheid or the racial segregation of the majority blacks by the whites, South Africa, under the leadership of its iconic President, the late Nelson Mandela who led the liberation struggle against the discrimination, appointed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Mr. Ramaphosa was a key figure in   the reconciliation process in that country.  He was the chief negotiator of African National Congress (ANC) during talks with the white government to secure the release of Nelson Mandela from jail before 1994.   Besides, he has been appointed as an envoy for a similar role in Sudan. During his two day visit to Sri Lanka, he was accompanied by Roelf Meyor, the chief negotiator of the white government at that time. Both are in the same government today.